There’s no better time than summer to dive into some good books! Whether by the pool, on travel, or indoors on lazy afternoons, kids can keep their minds active with exciting adventures — all by reading the pages of a great book. Thankfully, the Austin Public Library’s robust summer reading program makes it EASY for us parents to keep kids motivated and interested in reading all summer long.
Do512 Family is thrilled to be a media sponsor of the Libraries Rock! 2018 Summer Reading Program because it’s a fun-filled way to keep kids of all ages & abilities engaged with FREE learning activities, concerts, craft workshops, puppet shows — and so much more!
Take a look at what’s happening at the Austin Public Library this summer…
–> Reading Log & Prizes! Pick up a free reading log at your local branch or download and print one here. For every 20 minutes your child reads, he or she can color in a section. Once all colored-in, you can return your completed log to any of the Austin Public Library’s 21 locations between July and August, 2018 to earn a FREE prize book!
–> Children’s Day Art Park! For over 30 years, the Austin Symphony has offered this concert series for children, and now this year, it has a new location at the Central Library, and with FREE admission. Kids can try out the Instrument Zoo starting at 10 a.m., then enjoy live music at 10:30 a.m. followed by crafting from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. Mark your calendars for the dates & click here for the full line-up. June 6, 20, 27, July 11, 18, 25
–> Puppets, Live Music & Special Guests! Austin Public Library’s performance troupe, Literature LIVE, presents King Midas throughout the summer, and you’ll also find special shows from Pollyanna Theatre Company, the Magik Theatre, Terrance Taps, The Telephone Company, The Hoots, and Lloyd H. Miller of the Deedle Deedle Dees, among others. In addition, you can enjoy visits from guests: Dinosaur George, Crowe’s Nest Farm, Magician Jon O’Bryant, City of Austin Park Rangers and more! Click here to download a full schedule.
–> Hands-On Workshops & Parties! Make your own Dog Man comics, attend a Princess in Black Party, attend a celebration of African culture, write letters to pen pals, put your skills to the test at Spy Camp! For older kids, there’s even a series of Tween STEAM events that explore science, technology, engineering, arts, and math with stop motion animation, making paper circuits, sewing and more.
–> Storytimes Galore! Storytimes give moms & dads a place to connect, where the little ones can enjoy some entertainment as they practice young social skills, build their vocabulary, learn new songs, and engage in a variety of valuable learning activities. (Storytimes are offered for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, in Spanish, dual language and also sensory storytime geared toward children with special needs.) Click here for the calendar of library storytimes.
–>Ongoing Programs at the Library: In addition to the Summer Reading Program, you’ll also find these year-round series of events for kids:
We sat down with one of the library’s biggest fans, Van, to chat about the summer reading program. Check it out below. Also, be sure to tune into the Van Show for a fun collection of author and illustrator interviews!
Thanks to the Austin Public Library for not only housing a vast collection of exciting books, but for offering such a great community hub full of FREE entertainment! It’s a place we can learn new things and make new friends. We look forward to many days at the library this summer!
To learn about all of the summer happenings for families (including summer reading programs for Teens and Adults), visit www.austinsummerreading.org.
